pfannkucee



G. & A. PPANNKUGHE. DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC ENERGY.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

.No. 343,603. Patented June 15, 1886.

Etna zircuit.

INVENTORS:

WITNESSES:

Mada

npher. Washingto 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented June 15,1886.

(No Model.)

G. 8: A. PFANNKUOHE. DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC ENERGY. N0. 343,603.

WITN ESSESZ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV PFANNKUOHE AND ALFRED PFANNKUCHE, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC ENERGY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,603, dated June 15, 1886.

Application filed September 28, 1885. Serial No. 178,351. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: filed simultaneously herewith. [Application Beitknown that we, G'Usrirv PFANNKUGHE No. 178,350, filed September 28, 1885.] The and ALFRED PFA-NNKUOHE, both subjects of former defect our present inventionis designed the Emperor of Austria, and residents of the to remedy,as well as to add to the system adcity, county, and State of New York, have vantages which it has not heretofore posinvented certain new and useful Improvesessed. ments in the Distribution of Electric Energy, In place of the alternating-current generatof which the following is a specification. or of low efficiency heretofore used, we cm- In circuits for transmitting low-tension curploya continuous-current generator,and transto rents, such as are employed in incandescent form its continuous. currents into alternating electric lighting on the multiplearc system, currents by means of an alternating commuthe main-line conductors are required to be of tator. The circuit from the generator to this such large area of cross-section that their eX- commutator thus carries continuous currents, pense for long circuits becomes an important and may be used for operating electric-arc r5 barrier to the introduction of this system of lamps, electromotors, or other devices requirlighting. Not only is the first cost of the coning continuous currents. The circuit beyond ductors excessive, but the loss of potential the alternating connnutatorcarries alternating along the lines is an important detriment to currents and traverses the primary coils of the economy of the system. To avoid these the inductorinms or converters. The sev- 20 objections, and enable the current for main eral local circuits of the subscribers, or at the taining such lights to be transmitted to great places Where a quantity currcntoflow tension distances over as small a wire as are the curis desired, traverse the secondary or coarse rents for feeding arc lamps, and with as little wires of the converters, and include theincanloss of energy in transit, it has been proposed descent lamps or other devices to be fed by 25 by several inventors to employ upon the line alternating currents of low tension. 5 alternating currents of high electro motive Figureloftheaccompanyingdrawingsshows force, and to transform these currents at the a dynamo-alternating commutator, and the station of the subscriber into induced currents circuits and other devices in connection thereof low electro-motive force and considerable with in accordance with our invention. Fig.

c quantity in a local circuit, in whicnlocal cir- 2 shows a modification thereof. cuit the incandescent lamps are intercalated Let D designate the dynamo, which may be in multiple arc. This system, while perfect of any known type suitable for producing in theory, has never proved profitablein praccontinuous currents, A, the circuit ext-end- 'ticc for two reasons: First, an alternating curing from the brushes thereof to the commu- 5 rent generator has had to be used, which is tator; C, the alternating commutator for trans not only more complicated and expensive forming continuous into alternating currents; than the dynamos producing continuous cur B, the line-circuit extending from one ter rents, but has also a much lower efficiency,so minal at the alternating commutator to the that the useful electric energy delivered to the several inductive points or subscribers sta- 0 line is disproportionately expensive; second, tions and back to the other terminal at the 0 the induction coils or converters through commutator; E E, the several inductive-curwhich the line-circuit acts upon the local cirrent converters or im'luctorinms, one or more cuits of the subscribers, as heretofore 0011- of which is located at each subscribers station, structed, have been extremely wasteful of and L L the local circuits on the subscribers 5 energy, converting but a small portion of the premises. The latter circuits are shown by energyconsumed from theline circuitinto usedotted lines, and have incandescent lamps Z Z i'ul electrical effect in the local circuits. The installed in multiple are, or electromotors or latter defect is remedied by an improved conother devices. verter embodiedin our application for patent From the brushes 7) b of the dynamo lead on electric-current converters, designed to 1c the wires a a of the circuit A. One of these wires, (1, terminates at a brush, 0, and the other, a, is branched and leads to two brushes 0 c. f

The alternating commutator O, as shown, consists of three segments, d and dd, mounted on the prolonged armature-spindle of the dynamo, and insulated therefrom and from each other. The middle segment, (1, is made cylindrical at its center, and has semi-cylindrical arms projecting therefrom in axially-opposite directions and on diametrically-opposite sides, and the outer segments, d d, are made cylindrical at their ends, and each has a semi-cylindrical arm projecting axially and overlapping one of the like arms of the middle segment. The wire a brings positive currents to the brush 0 and segment d, while the wire a brings negative currents to the brushes 0 c and segments d (1. Two tak e-oft' brushes, 6 e, which we will call the primary brushes, are joined to the opposite tcrminals of circuit B, and rest against the commutator O in such position that each shall contact alternately with the positive segment (1 and one'of the negative segments d, and so that while one is in contact with the positive segment the other shall be in contact with the negative segment; hence when the commutator revolves the linecircuit B receives alternate positive and negative impulses, one to each revolution. In addition to the primary brushes e 6 there are alsotwo secondary brushes, ff, which have a slight lead relatively to the primary brushes, and which are connected through branch wires g to the respective wires of the line-circuit B, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2, where rheostats R R are intercalated in these branch wires. Each of these rheostats has a resistance equal to or somewhat in excess of the toing of the armature-coils, which would be ruinous to the dynamo and the commutator.

This is prevented by using both primary and.

secondary brushes, and setting one as much in advance of theother as the width of the insu' lation, so that at the instant of crossing the insulation the leading brush makes contact with the positive segment before the other breaks contact with the negative segment. so that the circuit tothe dynamo is never broken; but this arrangement alone would cause a short-circuiting of theline at each crossing of an insulation, by the positive current flowing, for instance, into brush e, and thence back through brush f to the negative segment without traversing the line B. Thus the entire resistance of the line would be cut out for an instant twice at each revolution, thus heating and injuring the dynamo. The resistance It prevents this result, not by preventing the shortcircuiting from brush 6 to f and e to), but by making this short circuit of equal resistance to the line, so that the dynamo feels no difference whether the current traverses the line or the short circuit. In'this manner the circuit to the dynamo is in effect neither broken nor short-circuitcd, and no sparking nor heating is caused. It is apparent that during the instant while the brushes ef are on opposite sides of the insulation there will be no current supplied to the line-circuit B, but upon both brushes reaching the same segment of the commutator G the current to the line will be established in a direction reversed relatively to the preceding current. The rapidity of the alternation of the currents in the linecircuit will depend upon the speed With which the alternating commutatoris revolved. If it be fixed on the armature-shaft, as shown in Fig. 1. it will revolve at the same speed as the armature, usually from nine hundred to twelve hundred revolutions per minute. This is undesirably rapid, a speed of only about two hundred revolutions being much preferable. We prefer, therefore, to fix the alternating commutator on a separate shaft, as shown in Fig. 2, and drive it independently at whatever speed may from time to time be desired.

The several converters E E are essentially inverted induction-eoilsthat is to say, their coils of fine wire constitute the primaries, and are joined in the line-circuit, and their coils of coarse wire constitute the secondaries, and are joined in the local circuits. \Ve much prefer the construction disclosed in our said application forpatent; but any other construction giving snfficient economy may be-used. The primary coils may be joined in the linecircuit in multiple are, multiple series, or otherwise, as the judgment of the electrician shall dictate; but it is obvious that but one system should be pursued with all the convertersthat is, if the multiple are be chosen.as shown in Fig. 1, they should all be placed in multiple arc, and their primary coils should be of uniform resistance. Fig. 2 shows the coils connected in multiple series.

The secondary coils of the converters may be joined in the local circuits in any desired way, according to the work which the several local circuits are expected to perform. In Fig.1 we have shown three different methodsthe circuit L,including but one converter, the circuit L ,including three converters installed in multiple arc, and the circuit L including three converters installed in series. In either case the incandescent lamps Z Z may be joined in multiple are, as shown, or in any other arrangement that experience may dictate.

The regulation of the circuit from time to time in accordance with the varying, work to be done is accomplished in any manner heretofore used for the regulation of circuits for are or incandescant lighting by continuous currentsnamely, by a regulator attached to or forming part of the dynamo. \Ve prefer that the dynamo shall be wound with a compensating winding, as is well known, whereby it becomes self-regulating, being constructed to maintain uniform potential at the terminals; or a distinct regulating device may be used in case it is desired to maintain a uniform current. The continuous current in the circuit A being thus maintained of a uniform potential or uniform volume, it follows, of course,that the alternating current in the circuit B shall be likewise maintained uniform.

In the use of rheostats R R more orless energy expended in overcoming the resistance is wasted by being converted into heat. To economize this waste, we substitute for the rheostats one, two, or more converters, E E, identical with those in the main line, except that the resistance of their primary coils may require to be somewhat different. In Fig. 1 we have shown two converters, E, intercalated in multiple arc in each of the branch wires 9 g. The resistance of the primary coils of these converters should be such that each branch circuit g 9' will have a resistance equal to or slightly exceeding that of the entire main line. The secondary coils of the converters E E are connected in a local circuit, L, which will have the capacity of maintaining a few incandescent lamps, sufiicient,probably,to light the generating station or some adjacent apartment.

As before stated, the circuit A may be used to feed arc lamps or other electric devices requiring continuous currents. In Fig. 1 we have shown two are lamps, H H, included in this circuit by way of illustration. Thus our invention solves the problem of supplying both are and incandescent lights from one dynamo, which proves frequently desirable in isolated plants.

It will be understood that the commutator of three sections is shown only for the sake of clearness, since in practice a commutator of two sections will answer the purpose equally well, the opposite take-ofi' brushes being arranged on diametri(rally-opposite sides.

Any other suitable construction of commutator may be substituted for the one shown.

We are aware of a system of current distribution the purpose of which is identical with ours, which consists in the employment of high-tension -continuous currents upon the line-circuit, with a current-alternator at each local station for reversing the currents passing through the primary of an induction-coil with which it is connected, thereby effecting the generation of induced currents in the local circuit without disturbing the continuity of the currents on the line. The current alternator is in one instance a vibratory polechanger actuated by a polarized electromagnet, and in anotherinstanceit is a rotary commutator driven by an electro-motor or other source of power.

Our invention is limited to theemployment of an alternating commutator at the generating-station or elsewhere,where it. can cause the alternation of the current on the line-circuit, and where its speed can be controlled so as to effect such rate of currentalteration as wil give the best inductive results.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination of a dynamo generating continuous currents, a circuit leading from the terminal brushes thereof to a current-alternating commutator, the said commutator, a line-circuit for conveying alternating currents, with its terminals leading to the opposite take-off brushes of said commutator, two or more inductive current-converters with their primary coilsjoined in the line-circuit, and two or more local circuits each including the secondary coil of one or more of said converters, substantially as and to the effect set forth.

2. The combination of a dynamo generating continuous currents, a circuit leading thence to a curi'entalternating commutator, one or more electric-are lamps or other electrical devices connected to said circuit and receiving continuous currents, the said commutator, and means for driving it, a line'circuit carrying alternating currents and terminating in the opposite take off brushes of said commutator, inductive current-converters with their primary coils joined in said line-circuit, one or more local circuits including the secondary-coils of said converters, and incandescent lamps or other electric appliances included in said local circuits, substantially as set forth, whereby both are lamps (or equivalent devices) and incandescent lamps are supplied from the same dynamo.

3. The combination of a continuous-current dynamo, a current-reversing commutator consisting of positive and negative segments, circuit-connection between said segments and the respective terminals of said dynamo, the takeoff brushes of said commutator, a line-circuit with its terminals connected to said brushes, secondary take-oft brushes arranged with a lead relatively to said primary brushes,whereby the leading brush shall make contact with the segment on one side of the insulation before the following brush breaks contact with the segment on the other side of the insulation, a branch circuit leading from each of said supplementary brushes to the line-circuit, and a'resistance in each of said branch circuits balancing the resistance of the linecircuit, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a contiuuous-current dynamo, a current-reversing commutator consisting of positive and negative segments, circuit-connection between said segments and the respective terminals of said dynamo, the take off brushes of said commutator, a line-circuit with its terminals connected to said brushes, secondary take-off brushes arranged with a lead relatively to said primary brushes, whereby the leading brush shall make contact with the segment on one side of the insulation be ICC fore the following brush breaks contact with In witness whereof we have hereunto signed [0 the segment on the other side of the insulaour names 1n the presence or two subscrlblng tion, a branch circuit leading from each of Witnesses.

Said. Supplementary brushes t0 the lille-Cir- 5 cuit, one or more inductive-current convert- I ALFR PFANNKUOHE ers with their primary coils installed in said branch circuits respectively, and a local cir Witnesses:

cuit including the secondary coils of said con- ARTHUR O. FRASER,

verters, substantially as set forth. E. B. BOLTON. 

